Squeegee



Dec. 17, 1940.

c. GINSBERG 2,225,432

SQUEEGEE Filed July 25, 1939 INVENTOR. CHARLES G/NSBERG 7 BY 7, 7 W

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATIENT"; OFFICE 'SQUEEGEE 7Charles Ginsberg, Shaker Heights, Ohio Application July 25, 1939, SerialNo. 286,438

2 Claims. (01. 15--245) This invention relates to brushing, scrubbing orcleaning and particularly to implementsused in the washing of windows,such as scrapers or Squeegees.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the typementioned which has an interchangeable or removable blade member.

Another object of the invention is to construct such device so that theblade member may be quickly and easily removed, replaced or reversed.

These and other objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from a study of the following description and claims togetherwith the accompanying drawing in which like 'parts are designated bylike reference characters and wherein: I I

Figure 1 is a plan view of the squeegee which embodies the features ofthis invention;

Figure 2 is a side view partly in section taken along the lines 2-2 ofthe Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view similar to that of Figure 2, except that theclamp members are shown partly open to receive a removable blade member;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the hinge portion of the device takenalong the lines 4-4 of the Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the spring member; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a part of the wiperblade.

This invention consists of two separable parts. There is first, thehandle member and then the resilient wiper member.

The handle member, made of some rust-resisting metal, has a conventionalsocket portion II tapered slightly so as to conveniently receive andretain therein a long wooden pole. The pole, however, is not shown inthe drawing but its application and use is well known in the art. Thesocket portion H is also of suflicient size and shape to be convenientlygripped by the hand.

Extending forward and downward at an angle from the socket portion ll,there is a somewhat flatter section referred to herein as the first orrigid jaw portion I2. This first jaw portion I2 is integral with or isfirmly attached to the socket portion H and at about where the twoportions join, the jaw portion I2 is stamped or otherwise slotted so asto form a longitudinal hinge loop l3, which loop extends transversely ofthe socket portion H.

The first jaw l2 flares or extends sidewise for about five or six inchesand has a straight forward edge It, which edge also extends transverselyof the socket l I axis and is parallel to the hinge loop I3. Just insidethe straight edge Hi there is a channeldike depression 15 on the insidesurface of the jaw portion.

At a point approximately half way between the 5 hinge loop l3 and thedepression l5 there is a square hole It which is intended to receive thesquare shoulder of the bolt ll. 7

The second or movable jaw 2| is made of a triangular piece of metalshaped very much like 10 the first or rigidjaw portion l2. The invertedapex of the triangular piece of metal has a horizontal slot 22 throughwhich there passes the hinge loop l3 in a'manner permitting the secondjaw 2| to spread or swing away from the first or rigid jaw portion 12.

The forward edge 23 is about as long as the forward edge M of the firstjaw and is parallel to it. Similarly, just inside the forward edge 23there is another channel-like depression 24 which is parallel to andabuts the depression l5.

Between the horizontal slot 22 and the depression 24 there is a roundhole suitable for freely engaging the shank of the bolt l1. The bolt llextends through the two'alignedholes in the two 25 jaw members l2 and-2|and is provided with a conventional wing-nut l8 which is used to operateor close the two jaws.

The bolt I1 is not turnable in the square hole l6 and the nut I8 isprevented from coming off the bolt I! by the enlargement IS on theextreme end of its threaded portion.

In order to permit the user of the device to more conveniently insert orremove the blade member hereinafter described, and therefore, in 3 orderto cause the movable jaw member 2| to automatically open upon theloosening of the wing-nut l8, a small flat metal spring 20 is mountedbetween the inside surfaces of the two respective jaws l2- and 2|. Thespring 20 is held in place by reason of the small round hole in itthrough which there freely passes the bolt IT.

The wiper blade member consists of a split tubular metal section 25which has two parallel flanges 2B and 21 extending lengthwise, one oneach side of the split. The top flange 26 is about twice as wide as thebottom flange 21. The wider flange portion acts as a support or back forthe resilient rubber blade 28 hereinafter described.

The resilient rubber blade 28 fits between and is held by the twoflanges 2B and 21. It passes through the split of the section 26 and hasa bead 29 extending lengthwise along one edge thereof, which bead 29fits into the tubular section 25. The longitudinal edge of the rubberblade opposite the bead 29 is cut or is otherwise formed so as toprovide a longitudinal groove 30 therein. This groove 39 tends to makethe extreme edge of the rubber more resilient and flexible than the restof its body and this extra resiliency facilitates the removal of thewater from glass or surfaces which are not entirely smooth.

The tubular section 25 may be a little longer than the two jaw membersbut regardless of its length the tubular section 25 with its encasedrubber blade 28 is of such dimensions that it can be gripped by theinside surfaces of the two jaw members l2 and 2! and particularly attheir respective depressions l5 and 24. The forward edges l4 and 23 ofthe two co-acting jaw members abut the two flanges 26 and 21respectively, so that the blade is unable to turn in: the holder but isinstead rigidly held therein.

The two main advantages of this device over similar articles of theprior art are, first, that the jaws are linked or hinged together andare not separable, thus preventing a loss of parts; secondly, the jaws,open automatically when a new blade is to be inserted or removed, thuspreventing a sticking or jamming of the parts which usually requiresspecial manipulation to loosen.

These advantages while not wholly necessary for domestic devices or fordevices used very seldom or on comparatively safe levels or stations,yet are important to professional window cleaners who are compelled towork in a precarious position while high up on a ledge of a tallbuilding. At such times and in such places, the operator desires to makethe quickest change possible and with as little inconvenience aspossible. On commercial work of this nature the blades wear out quiterapidly and the. convenience in replacing them is important.

It will now be clear that there isprovided by this invention a squeegeewhich accomplishes the objects of the invention. While the invention hasbeen described in a specific form and while certain broad general termshave been used in its description, it is to be understood that theembodiment of the invention is illustrative only and is not to beconsidered in a limiting sense. It is to be further understood thatthere may be other forms or adaptations of the invention which willsuggest themselves to persons familiar with the art and thosemodifications are also considered to be within the broad scope of theinvention as no limitations upon it are intended other than thoseimposed thereon by the breadth of the appended claims.

l. A squeegee comprising, a hollow handle member, an upper jaw integralwith the outer end of the handle member and extending outwardlytherefrom and having an open bottom and an opening in its top, a hingemember of substantially U-shape having an outer leg formed integral withand depending from the top of the jaw and connected thereto at the walldefining the outer side of the opening, and having the end of its innerleg free and in register with said opening, said hinge member extendingtransversely of the handle member, a lower jaw having a free inner endformed with a slot adjacent the extremity of said end to receive thefree end of the inner leg of the hinge member, said free inner end ofthe lower jaw being movable in one position to extend into the openbottom of the upper jaw and through the said opening in the top of theupper jaw, thereby to engage over the free end of the inner leg of theUeshaped hinge member so that upon movement of the lower jaw to bringthe latter into its operative position to hingedly connect the jaws, ablade member between the jaws, and a screw member extending through thespring member and through each of the jaws to clamp the blade membertherebetween. v

2. A squeegee, in accordance with claim 1, wherein there is a. curvedspring plate interposed between the two jaws and which has asubstantially central opening to receive the screw therethrough, wherebythe screw functions to also hold the plate in assembled relation.

CHARLES GINSBERG.

